Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-04-15
SERVING $50 ~-nTFNCES.
Six Murderers and Nbat They Have
To say of Themselves

mas been written ana SAID about women
murderers and how they generally es-
cape the extreme penalty of their crimes
OH account of their sex. To some ma
lures the prospects of lifelong inn
prisonment would undoubtedly be
worse than DEATH but as TO the six wo-
men now b hind the gloomy walls of
the Kings county penitentiary whose
hands, Ike those of the Herk imer coun-
t. woman, and stained with human
blood. there is no doubt but that they
would far rather continue in their pres
ent quarter, through an unbroken
number of years than be swung out in
TO eternity.
a representative OF The Union visit
ed Warden Green yesterday and in
spected the female prison where these
murderesses are confined. 1t was about
noon, and the reporter was able TO OBJ
serve for some little time the crowd of
female convicts at their midday meal
without himself being observed by
them. The fact was impressed upon
the scrbe's mind that these unfortu-
nate creatures. although penned up
within the narrow confines of a prison,
were not, by any means, IS detected as
might be supposed. The six life pris-
oners mingled among the rest, talked,
gossipped. and acted in as unconcerned
manner ~ they would had they
l.. of or
street tenement They acted as if they
were either resigned or Indifferent to
sheir fate, and yet every one of these
lifers has been in the penitentiary for
at least ten years. One Of them is now
undergoing her twenty-thrd year OF
imprisonment. and another her TWEEN
tv-uineth 1t has been remarked that
one gets accustom to almost anything,
and the actions of these women did not
belle tho sentiment These six muir
decreases, in appearance and IN the
amount of intelligence depicted on the II
countenanccs. remind one Of the aver
age class of women who can be seen
any day in walk through the lower
wards of New York or upon visit TO
any of the tenement districts of the city
They are neither above nor below the
average. No Lucretia Borgina villany
is shown in their couutenances, nor do
they appear innocent and gultless.
They are all strong looking and COM
fortably proportional. There is, per-
haps, hunted expression about their
eyes, which is not to be wondered ut,
considering the fact that for years they
have looked upon the same scenes,
contemplated the same stone walls,
and heard no word Of tender
sympathy (Which perhaps, after
AL, they would not appreciate). The
most prom nent among these modern
Borg rs is Sarah Brooks. She was con-
vctcd twcnty-three years ago for kill
ing her step-daughter by administering
slow poison. The two women had
quarreled over the disposition of some
property, and Mrs. Brooks chose this
rather vigorous method of getting rid
of her rival. She is supposed also to
have poisoned number Of other per-
sons She is about 81 years of age,
tall. gaun- and angular, avoids
strangers, and is not fond of talking
about herself. OF the other five
divers" Emma Whimple, black
haired. dark-visaged woman. was con-
victed rs an accessory to the murder
of her husband. She was only 10 years
old when she began her long imprison-
ment. Mary f. Johnson, woman,
was convicted upon charge of in
fanticde. Annie Barnie, also convict
cd of infantic DC (sho having thrown
her newborn baby into canal, is q
little, low siz0d Irish woman, and looks
like anything but u murdercss. Mary
Fish, convicted for the murder of her
husband. Ia. been in prison twenty
eight years, and has served ten of
them in the King, county pententiary.
She always wears white cap on her
head and looks like French bonnie
retired on pension. Lastly, Will
helmina Wyke, a German. was SEN
fenced for numbering her husband.
The Wyke woman is the recluse of the
prison. She keeps in her cell nearly
all the time, and refuses to associate
even with her fellow prisoners.
The Unoa reporter obtained an in
terview with two of these life prisoners.
Nary +. Johnson. the colored child
slayer, is the most intelligent of the
lot She is sharp-cyed light mulatto,
and her voice is low and pleasant. IL
have no one to do anything for me"
she said. $50 suppose shall to pass
the rest my days in prison. l have
been ten years here and two years at
Sing Sing. While / was at the latter
place they wanted to send me to the
Auburn insane Asylum. and tried to
make out that was insane, but / would
A